Your Acts of Kindness Really Do Matter

Happy day after Christmas! 🎄 I hope yours was filled with joy, gratitude, and spirit-filled peace. ✨

The past month we have talked a lot about the Season and Spirit of Giving. Last week I shared a few stories from members of this strong and quickly growing community about why they give, and what it means to them.

As we close out the final few days of 2023, and ring in a New Year; no doubt filled with joyful anticipation and great hope for the achievement of new goals and dreams, I want to share an event and moment that I pray sticks with me for years to come. As you read it, I hope it positively impacts you too. 

I was exhausted, the night was creeping in, and I faced a near three-hour drive home. But it was the last day of our two-week donation campaign, and reality hit hard—we were over $4,000 shy of our goal. Two locations nailed it, but the other two lagged behind by over $2,000 each.

This marks our fifth year passionately supporting the non-profit organization, Comfort Cases. Together, we're on a mission to eliminate the heart-wrenching and utterly unacceptable practice of giving children in foster care trash bags for their belongings during transitions between temporary homes or institutions.

Comfort Cases: not just backpacks but brand new vessels of comfort and essential items for kids entering foster care. Pajamas, blankets, toiletries, journals, books, pens, coloring books, crayons, and stuffed animals—all carefully packed in each case. And it only takes $45 to fully equip one comfort case.

With less than six hours left in the campaign, as I was shutting everything down, I felt a divine nudge—a gut feeling compelling me to stop and record a short video. Now, I'm not one to frequent social media, but this nudge felt different, almost like a higher calling.

In that video, I poured my heart out, saying something along these lines:

"Handing a child a trash bag says: You are NOT ENOUGH! You are NOT Important. You are NOT Valued… But that is NOT TRUE. That is NOT Acceptable. Each and Every Child Deserves Better! Good news is - You, Me, US, Can do something to make that Change! AND DO IT TODAY!!!"

I won't claim this one action will overhaul the entire system, but I DO believe it's a small hinge that CAN and WILL SWING A BIG DOOR! It'll lift UP a child, bring HOPE, DIGNITY & LOVE TO THEIR SOUL. It just might be THE MOMENT they believe that THEY ARE ENOUGH!

Whether you can give $45, $10, or $450, YOU CAN PLAY AN ACTIVE PART in creating this absolutely necessary CHANGE!! I posted it, prayed for contributions, hopped in my car, and hit the road.

In less than 15 minutes, a message popped up from a dear friend asking, “How much is remaining for you to reach your donation goal?” I replied, “Hey there. We're a little over $4k.” We hadn't chatted in months, so I decided to call.

He answered, and his equally amazing wife was on speaker. After catching up, they dropped a bombshell: "Whatever amount is left for your donation goal, we want to take care of it." I was speechless, overjoyed, and incredibly thankful.

Ending the call, I was overwhelmed with God’s presence and teared up with happiness. I could go on about this story, but the morals are clear: People are Good. God is Good. Don't ignore those promptings. Anything is possible.

The final tally? Over $23,000 raised! That means 511 children won't get a trash bag; they'll get a Brand New Comfort Case that belongs to them.

As we face life's challenges, discouragements, and obstacles, let's not lose sight. Keep staying the course, doing good in all you do. As the year winds down and a New Year beckons, I wish you the absolute best—health, happiness, and countless opportunities to spread kindness.

Happy New Year,

Brock 

P.S. Let's not just do generosity; let's BE generosity. It's not just something we do; it's WHO WE ARE! 💖